• Three burnt to death in Oyo road crash

The Executive Secretary of the Bauchi State Health Contributory Management Agency (BASHCMA), Ibrahim Ladan Duguri, and four of his children, have died in a road crash along Duguri Road in Alkaleri Local Council of the state.
 
However, another son of the deceased was injured in the crash and is receiving treatment in hospital.
 
The incident reportedly occurred at the weekend while the family was travelling to their village, throwing their loved ones into mourning.

Also, three people were burnt to death while five others were rescued with minor injuries after a bus carrying bakery machines rammed into a stationary trailer at Jobele, headquarters of Afijio Local Council of Oyo State.
 
The accident occurred in the early hours of Sunday in front of the Afijio Local Government Secretariat, according to the Oyo State Fire Services Agency.

In a statement, the agency said it received a distress call at about 12:20 a.m. reporting that vehicles were on fire at the scene.
 
Firefighters led by Makinde Kunle were immediately deployed and found that a J5 bus with an unknown registration number had crashed into the rear of a stationary DAF trailer, also without a known registration number.
 
The bus was reportedly conveying bakery machines, while the trailer was loaded with synthetic materials. Both vehicles were engulfed in flames when the firefighters arrived.
 
The agency said its personnel launched a coordinated firefighting operation, using chemical compounds to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading to nearby properties.
 
Three people were recovered dead from the wreckage, their bodies burnt beyond recognition, while five others were rescued with minor injuries. The operation lasted several hours before the fire was completely extinguished.
 
The agency attributed the crash to the bus driver’s loss of control, which caused the vehicle to ram into the trailer parked by the roadside.
 
Personnel of the Federal Fire Service, Oyo Command; the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps; the Amotekun Corps, Jobele Unit; and the police from the Jobele Divisional Headquarters also participated in the rescue and firefighting operation.
 
The agency said its team returned safely to the station at 9:17 a.m. and resumed operational standby.
 
The Special Adviser on Fire Reform and Chairman of the Oyo State Fire Services Agency, Dr Moroof Akinwande, urged motorists to obey traffic rules and avoid driving when tired or sleepy.
 
He also advised road users to exercise caution when travelling at night, while urging vehicle owners, building occupants and shop operators to install fire extinguishers to help contain outbreaks before they spread.

Following the  Bauchi incident, the State Governor, Bala Mohammed, expressed sadness over the tragedy in a statement yesterday, describing the death of Duguri and his four children as a monumental loss to the state.
 
The governor praised the late agency chief for his dedication to public service and commitment to improving access to healthcare, particularly for vulnerable residents.
 
“As Executive Secretary of BASHCMA, the deceased played an important role in advancing the state’s health contributory management system and supporting efforts to make healthcare more accessible to the people, especially the less privileged,” Mohammed said.
 
He also highlighted Ladan Duguri’s contributions to the state’s medical team during pilgrimage exercises in Saudi Arabia, noting that his commitment to the health and well-being of pilgrims was widely valued.
 
Mohammed described the deceased as a close personal friend and classmate, saying that Duguri’s death was not only the loss of a valued public servant but also the painful departure of a trusted companion whose life was marked by service, loyalty and dedication to humanity.
 
The governor said the loss of four children in the same incident had made the tragedy even more heartbreaking, adding that no words could adequately capture the pain of the bereaved family.
 
Meanwhile, the remains of Ladan Duguri and his four children were scheduled to be buried at 11:00 a.m. yesterday in Yalwan Duguri, in accordance with Islamic rites.